The AlphaS Captured Luna

CHAPTER 1 — THE CAGE The first thing Luna felt was cold. It wasn’t the kind that came from weather or an open window. It was deeper than that—sharp, invasive, crawling under her skin like it had always belonged there. She tried to move. Her wrists jerked forward. Metal clanked. Pain shot up her arms instantly, forcing a sharp gasp from her throat. Chains. Heavy ones. Luna blinked through the darkness, her vision slowly adjusting. The room was small—too small. Stone walls. No windows. Only a dim light flickering from a torch mounted far above her head. She swallowed hard. Where am I? Her memory was blurry, broken pieces scattered like shattered glass. A road. A sound behind her. Hands grabbing her. Then darkness. Her heartbeat sped up. “No…” she whispered, tugging again at the chains. “No, no, no—” The metal didn’t even shift. Her wrists burned from the resistance, but she refused to stop. Panic was rising fast in her chest, tightening her throat until breathing became difficult. “Help!” she shouted suddenly, her voice cracking. “Someone—help me!” Her words bounced off the stone walls and died instantly. Silence answered her. Not even an echo of footsteps outside. Nothing. Luna’s breathing turned uneven. She forced herself to look around again, searching for anything—an exit, a crack, a weakness in the walls. There was none. Only darkness and stone and chains designed to hold something far stronger than her. Why am I here? Who brought me here? Her mind raced faster now, fear turning into something sharper—anger. She pulled harder. The chains responded with a brutal yank, dragging her wrists upward. Pain flared so intensely she almost cried out. Almost. But she bit her lip instead. “No,” she whispered again, but this time it wasn’t fear. It was defiance. “I’m not staying here.” She pulled again. Once. Twice. The metal dug into her skin until she could feel warmth trickling down her wrists. Blood. Her breath hitched. Then— A sound. Click. Luna froze instantly. Every nerve in her body went alert. Footsteps. Slow. Controlled. Deliberate. They echoed from somewhere beyond the heavy door in front of her. Not rushed. Not uncertain. The kind of footsteps that belonged to someone who knew exactly where they were going. Closer. Closer. Her entire body shifted instinctively, pressing back against the wall even though she knew it wouldn’t help. The door handle turned. Click. Unlocked. The sound hit her harder than anything else. Because whoever was outside… had decided she was worth entering for. The door opened. A wave of colder air entered the room first, brushing across her skin and making her shiver. Then he stepped in. Luna didn’t understand why her body reacted before her mind did. Everything in her went still. Not relaxed. Not calm. Alert in a way that felt instinctive—animal-like. The man who walked in was tall. Broad shoulders. Dark clothing that absorbed the dim light instead of reflecting it. But it wasn’t his appearance that made her chest tighten. It was his presence. Heavy. Controlled. Dangerous without effort. His eyes landed on her immediately. And he didn’t look surprised. That was the first thing she noticed. Not shock. Not confusion. Recognition. Like he had expected her to be exactly where she was. Luna straightened her back even though her wrists were still chained above her head. “Who are you?” she demanded, forcing her voice to stay steady. The man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he took one slow step forward. Then another. Each step echoed louder in the small room. Luna’s heart pounded harder with every movement. “Don’t come closer,” she warned, though her voice betrayed her fear slightly. He stopped. Just a few feet away now. Close enough that she could see him clearly. Sharp jawline. Dark eyes. Expression unreadable. But there was something else. Something deeper. Something almost… familiar. Impossible. “I asked you a question,” she said again, more firmly this time. “Who are you?” Silence stretched between them. Then, finally, he spoke. “You’re awake,” he said calmly. Luna frowned. “That’s not an answer.” His gaze didn’t move away from her. It stayed locked on her face like she was the only thing in the world that mattered in that moment. “You don’t remember me,” he said. That made her stomach twist. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.” A pause. Then— A faint change in his expression. Not anger. Not disappointment. Something colder. Like certainty. “That’s what I thought you’d say,” he murmured. Luna pulled slightly against the chains again, frustration mixing with fear. “If you’re the one who brought me here—” “I am,” he interrupted simply. The honesty hit her like a slap. Her breath stopped. For a second, she couldn’t speak. Then anger surged forward to cover the fear. “Why?” she snapped. “What do you want from me?” He studied her carefully. Too carefully. Like he was reading something she couldn’t see. Then he stepped closer again. This time, she didn’t miss it. The air between them shifted. Her body reacted instantly—wrongly. A strange pull in her chest tightened suddenly, sharp and confusing. Her breath caught. The man noticed. His eyes darkened slightly. Interesting. Luna didn’t understand why her skin felt too warm suddenly. Why her pulse had changed. Why her instincts were screaming at her in a way she couldn’t interpret. He stopped right in front of her now. Close enough that she could feel his presence fully. “You shouldn’t be here,” she said quietly, trying to regain control. His voice dropped lower. “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.” That sent a chill through her. “What does that even mean?” she demanded. Instead of answering, he reached up slowly. Luna tensed immediately. But he wasn’t touching her. He was touching the chain above her head. Just one finger against the metal. And suddenly— The chain snapped. Luna’s arms dropped instantly, pain shooting through her shoulders as blood rushed back into them. She staggered slightly, shocked. He didn’t move. Didn’t blink. He just watched her. Like this was nothing. Like she wasn’t free. Like she still belonged here. Luna lifted her gaze slowly. “Why would you—” But he cut her off again. This time, his voice was quieter. Heavier. “I’ve been looking for you longer than you’ve been alive.” Luna froze. The room suddenly felt smaller. The air heavier. And for the first time… She realized the cage might not be the chains. It might be him.